


Envious

by Timeskipped



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Gen, Pre-Game Personalities (New Dangan Ronpa V3)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-04
Updated: 2019-09-04
Packaged: 2020-10-10 03:57:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20521556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Timeskipped/pseuds/Timeskipped
Summary: “It’s plain to see that you’re going to lose yourself in Danganronpa,” Tsumugi continued, brushing Kaede’s bangs more to one side, “for many people, that’s all they ever wanted. But for me…” Tsumugi paused, and her hands trailed down to Kaede’s shoulders. “That’s never been enough.”Tsumugi and Kaede have a conversation.





	Envious

“You know, I’m jealous of you,” Tsumugi Shirogane said, and Kaede felt her nails trace her cheek.

She looked into the mirror. Kaede saw herself staring back, sitting for her hair and makeup test before the actual show. Her hair was styled perfectly with hair clips resembling music notes, and her ahoge stuck up too much, compared to what it was before. It was so… artificial. Kaede couldn’t bring herself to wonder why someone like her, someone so devoid in care for the world, would become a protagonist character.

Tsumugi stood behind her. Her glasses hid her eyes in the bright light. Kaede didn’t reply, despite the silence.

“It’s plain to see that you’re going to lose yourself in Danganronpa,” Tsumugi continued, brushing Kaede’s bangs more to one side, “for many people, that’s all they ever wanted. But for me…” Tsumugi paused, and her hands trailed down to Kaede’s shoulders. “That’s never been enough.”

Kaede spoke this time, keeping her voice neutral, monotone. Tsumugi could take her out of Danganronpa at any moment. If anything, Kaede knew that this entire thing was just Tsumugi assessing their pregame selves once more, to see if they were truly fit for the role.

“I don’t care about losing myself,” Kaede told her, “I’ve just always thought that Danganronpa fits me.”

Tsumugi sighed, and she was so close that Kaede could feel it on the back of her head. One of Tsumugi’s hands left her shoulder, and looking in the mirror, she saw the hand cradle Tsumugi’s own cheek as she looked down fondly at what was soon to be her creation.

“Of course. But that’s what makes me so plain _envious_, Kaede Akamatsu. Can you imagine making a world just for yourself? I’ve fought tooth and nail to be able to do just that. Being in Team Danganronpa isn’t an easy life.”

Kaede thought about how Team Danganronpa killed so many people for their game. Disgust welled up inside her. She didn’t speak, however. She had always loved Danganronpa, anyways, and to be a hypocrite in this situation may be even worse than staying silent.

“I’ll never be able to make a perfect rendition of what I want, you understand,” Tsumugi continued, letting her hand fall from her face, and she began messing with Kaede’s hair once again. She smoothed out the ahoge, letting it look more natural, more like how it was before. “And yet,” Tsumugi sounded so wistful as she spoke, “I still plainly love you. All the characters I get to create, and the people watching the game who make my life possible.”

Kaede wanted to say something. She wanted to spill how much the fantasy had broken, as she’d walked throughout the Team Danganronpa headquarters; she’d seen so many people getting ready for the show. She kept her mouth shut, though, because while Tsumugi Shirogane may have been plain, she was also _powerful_, if nothing else.

“Feel free to speak,” Tsumugi said, suddenly. “I just want to get to know you. Your memories of this conversation will be erased, either way. You’ll never even know what happened, so why hesitate?” Tsumugi’s nails brushed Kaede’s face, and Kaede swallowed. “If you don’t remember it, was it ever truly real?”

“The world is truly rotten if it has people like you,” Kaede whispered.

Tsumugi just smiled. “Ah, there it is. I won’t blame you if you hate me. It’s plain to see that I’m the bad guy.” She lifted Kaede’s chin with her hand, so that she couldn’t look away. Her long nails pressed into the skin just light enough not to leave marks. “But people want to lose themselves in Danganronpa. I may not be able to do that myself, but who am I to refuse the voices of so many?”

“I don’t know,” Kaede could only reply to that. Kaede’s reflection in the mirror looked tired, just staring at herself. Awful. Not worthy to be a protagonist.

“It’s almost as if it’s real despair,” Tsumugi’s voice rose in pitch ever so slightly, but Kaede could hear it. The excitement seemed so contagious, and Kaede found that she didn’t care about the way that it swelled inside her chest. Soon, she would be a part of it, too, the generator of it as a player of the killing game.

“Aren’t we already in despair, then?” she said slowly, in a moment of boldness. “So many people giving themselves up for such a beautiful game, so many people knowingly letting themselves commit suicide like that. It gives so much hope, to die that way." She scoffed lightly. "We must be desperate if we’re turning to you to give us the hope that we’re missing.” Kaede felt her lips quirk up as she smiled at Tsumugi. Her mirror image copied her.

If none of this was real, like Tsumugi said, then it _didn’t matter_. She didn’t have to _care_. It was just a beautiful, hopeful lie, but Kaede clung to it, just like she clung to Danganronpa itself.

“Is that really how you think?” Tsumugi said, and her hands moved, stopped holding Kaede in place, instead taking the pins out of her hair. The music notes shined in the bright light, and Kaede brushed the hair out of her eyes as it fell. Tsumugi took out some plainer pins and pinned the hair back in place with a smile. The silver of them contrasted with the darkness of Kaede’s school uniform.

Tsumugi spoke again after a pause. “Well, I suppose if we could make real despair inside, and create real hope outside, that would just plain be a dream come true, wouldn’t you agree?”

Kaede scoffed again as a reply.

“Oh, but this is so interesting. Your character was already chosen, but I already told you that the characters have never been perfect. They act so unexpectedly. It helps move the game along, if you will. There has to be plot twists, after all, and what better than something like this? Maybe this part of yourself as you are right now will make it into your character.”

“I doubt it,” Kaede said, simply. “Why give me, the protagonist, the idea that the hope and despair you create is real?”

Tsumugi’s eyes were unfocused when Kaede looked up at the version of her in the mirror.

“Perhaps not, but you never know. It’s plain to see that anyone can become anything in Danganronpa, if the plot so takes them there.”

“And that’s why you said you’re jealous of me?” Kaede asked, softer than before.

Tsumugi smirked as she looked down at her, pinning the last pin in place. Her teeth flashed white. “I’ve always wanted more for myself, Kaede Akamatsu. And if I’m going to become more, why not make sure that my world becomes perfect?" Her face fell. "You'll become a perfect version of yourself, and I won’t. I would never be happy with that.” Tsumugi’s fingers traced down Kaede’s jawline, along her neck, to her shoulders. Kaede sat perfectly still. “But I will be happy with this. I’ll be happy with shaping you, helping you. Everything I do is for the audience.”

Kaede shivered as Tsumugi moved away, the pressure of her fingers leaving Kaede’s shoulders.

“Alright!” Tsumugi stepped back into the world of a Team Danganronpa employee, a mastermind to the game that Kaede was about to play, instead of a plain girl who could never be truly happy with immersing herself in the fantasies that she’s created. “Let’s keep going.”

_What a rotten business,_ Kaede thought with distaste as she stood up and followed Tsumugi out of the room.

**Author's Note:**

> This is an older fic of mine, but I hope you enjoyed it anyways!


End file.
